Casing runner tool for subsea well

ABSTRACT

The casing running tool has an outer body portion telescoped about an inner body portion to form an annular chamber for receiving pairs of first and second bearing rings therein with each first bearing ring having a groove adjacent a groove in the inner body portion to receive a snap ring therebetween and with each second bearing ring having a groove adjacent a groove in the outer body portion for receiving ball bearings therebetween; a non-compressible fluid is provided in the space between the first and second bearing rings of each pair to separate the bearing rings and to rotatatively, axially support the inner body by the outer body portion via said fluid so that the outer body portion may be clamped by a latch dog in a subsea wellhead while the inner body portion is rotated by a tubing string run from a floating vessel above the well.

I United States Patent 1 [111 3,765,485 Regan Oct. 16, 1973 [54] CASINGRUNNER TOOL FOR SUBSEA 3,628,604 12/1971 Childers 166/78 WELL 3,290,06512/1966 Porath 285/95 3,301,324 1 1967 S 'h 166 7 [75] Inventor: A.Michael Regan, Huntington l 8 X Beach Cahf Primary Examiner-Marvin A.Champion Assistant Examiner-Richard E. Favreau [73] Asslgnee: ReganForge f Attorney--Miketta, Glenny, Poms & Smith pany, San Pedro, Cahf.22 Filed: July 7, 1971 [571 ABSTRACT The casing running tool has anouter body portion [21] Appl' 160399 telescoped about an inner bodyportion to form an annular chamber for receiving pairs of first andsecond [52] US. Cl 166/285, 166/78, 285/18, r ng rings therein with eachfirst bearing ring hav- 285/95 ing a groove adjacent a groove in theinner body por- [51] Int. Cl E21b 31/00 i n to r eiv a nap ringherebetween and with each [58] Field of Search 166/78, 123, 124, secondbearing ring having a groove adjacent a groove 166/285, 75, 84, 85, 73,72, 70; 285/95; in the outer body portion for receiving ball bearings308/9, 122; 254/29, 30 therebetween; a non-compressible fluid isprovided in the space between the first and second bearing rings [56]References Cited of each pair to separate the bearing rings and toUNn-ED STATES PATENTS rotatatively, axially support the inner body bythe outer body portion via said fluid so that the outer 52:21: at bodyportion may be clamped by a latch dog in a sub- 2:786:532 3,1957 166/73sea wellhead while the inner body portion is rotated 3.1957638 7/1965 LeRouax n 166/73 X by a tubing string run from a floating vessel above the2,788,073 5/1957 Brown 166/78 ll.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,765,485

Regan Oct. 16, 1973 PAIENIEDnm 16 I975 3.765485 SHEET 1 or 2 INVENTOAZA]. M/CA/QEL REG/7N CASING RUNNER TOOL FOR SUBSEA WELL BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to subsea oil well tools, and moreparticularly to such a tool having an outer portion held stationarywhile the inner portion rotates despite axial loads being appliedthereto.

In oil wells and particularly subsea oil wells, there are many timeswhen a rotating internal tool must be held axially stationary relativethe submerged well head. Conventional couplings which perform thisfunction are not usually suitable for subsea oil well use because of thehigh axial loads which may be exerted on the coupling.

An example of such high loading condition occurs during the insertion ofan inner casing into a subsea well hole, during the filling of the spacebetween the casing and the hole with concrete, and during the release ofthe inner casing from the string. As explained in greater detail in mycopending application entitled Releasable Connecting Apparatus forSubsea Well Head", filed concurrently herewith, the inner casing issuspended from a casing hanger, suspended from a releasable connectingapparatus, which is in turn suspended from a running tool (as in thisinvention) which is suspended from a rotatable string. The string islowered into the riser and into the well until the casing extends intothe well hole and the hanger is located above its seat whereupon latchdogs engage the running tool to axially hold the tool which, of course,carries the great weight of parts mounted to the string below therunning tool. The string may now be rotated, rotating the inner portionof the tool and the parts mounted therebelow while concrete isintroduced between the casing and the well hole. Once the concrete isevenly distributed, the latch dogs are released, and the string lowereduntil the casing hanger engages its seat to suspend the depending casingpermanently in the hole. The string is lowered further to contract thereleasable connecting apparatus while the drill string is rotated tounscrew the connecting apparatus from the hanger for withdrawal of thedrill string, while leaving the hanger and casing in the wellhole.

With such high axial loads on such a running tool during suchoperations, a running too] must be provided which can withstand theseloads and yet function properly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is the primary objectof this invention to provide a novel running tool for use in a subseawell to axially locate a rotatable string therein.

Other and additional objects of this invention are to provide such arunning tool which will support high axial loads between the inner andouter portions, to provide such a tool which is rotatable while axiallyrestrained, to provide such a tool which receives a noncompressible, orhydraulic, fluid to carry the axial load thereon, and to provide such arunning tool which is economical to manufacture, easy to assemble,dependable to use, and durable in operation.

Generally, the casing running tool, according to this invention,includes inner and outer body portions forming an annular chambertherebetween, with the inner body portion connected to the casing andwith the outer body portion landing on the wellhead, first and secondbearing rings mounted to the inner and outer body portions,respectively, in spaced fluid tight relation in the chamber, and meansfor providing a noncompressible fluid in the chamber and between thebearing rings to rotatably support the inner body portions on the outerbody by the rings and fluid. A plurality of first and second bearingrings may be provided and a common connection to a source of pressurefluid may be provided for supplying such fluid to each of the individualchambers formed between the sets of rings. The ring may be rotatablymounted by adjacent ball races filled with ball bearings in ringbearings.

Generally, the method, according to this invention, of rotatablysupporting a casing in a well includes the steps of connecting the lowerend of a running tool inner body to a casing and the upper end to atubing string, connecting an associated outer body of the running toolto the inner body for relative rotation therebetween, running the casinginto the well and landing the outer body on the wellhead apparatus,hydraulically supporting the inner body on the outer body, and rotatingthe string to rotate the associated casing while the casing is supportedby the running tool at the well. The method may additionally include thestep of introducing cementitious material into the well about the casingduring the step of rotating the string and casing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. la and lb are a side elevationalview, partially in section, of a subsea well and wellhead with a tubingstring run from a'floating vessel to the well with a casing runningtool, according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side cross-sectional view taken alongthe plane IIII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2 encircled by circleIII.

FIG. 4 is afragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the plane IVIVof FIG. 3 showing the ball bearings located in the adjacent bearinggrooves of a second bearing ring and the outer body portion of therunning tool.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the plane VV ofFIG. 3 showing a snap ring located in the adjacent bearing grooves ofthe first bearing ring andthe inner body portion of the running too],according to this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to thedrawings and particularly to FIG. 1, the casing running too], accordingto this invention, is generally denoted by the number 10. The tool 10 isfor use with a subsea well hole 11 drilled in the ocean floor 12 beneaththe ocean 13, from a ship or barge (not shown)'located at the surface ofthe ocean 13, as is conventional.

The well hole 11 has located thereover a conventional well head 15 whichtypically includes a drilling templet 16 having a central bore 17 withan upper cup shaped shoulder 18, and lateral passages 19 therethrough tothe ocean 13, which have already been filled V with concrete. Thedrilling templet 16 has thereover a tion 22 isjoined to an upperrectangular shaped portion 25. The upper portion 25 has verticallyextending guide posts 26 with conical guides 27 therearound and withcable anchors 28 on the upper ends thereof for anchoring cables 29 fromthe ship (not shown) on the surface of the ocean 13.

A Christmas tree unit 30 has a lower guide 31 with a lower tubularprotrusion 32 and with a central bore 33. The unit 30 also has seal 34seated on the upper end of the guide 31 with a string of blow-outpreventors 35, 36 and 37 mounted thereover and under an upper guide 38.The lower blow-out preventor has a fluid supply line 39 and a fluidreturn line 40 extending therefrom. This unit 30 is lowered from theship down the cables 29 and onto the guide posts 26 to be centered bythe conical guides 27 while the lower tubular protrusion 32 extends intothe central bore of the guide post frame 20.

The upper end of the upper guide 38 has located thereover a pair oflower guide arms 41 which together with the guide 38 mountblow-out-preventor fluid control lines 42 which control the opening andclosing of the blow-out preventors 35, 36, and 37 from the ship on thesurface of ocean 13.

A coupling 43 is provided through the lower guide arms 41 to mount theupper blow-out preventor 37 to the lower end of a hanger, supportingtool 44. The hanger supporting tool 44 has a two diameter central bore45 with the lower portion generally the same diameter as the bore 32 andthe upper portion of a greater diameter to provide a landing shoulder 46therebetween. The hanger supporting tool 44 has a hydraulically operatedlatching dog 47 near the upper end thereof. The upper end of the tool 44is joined to the lower end of riser 48 from the ship. A bracket 49 islocated around the riser 48 for mounting the fluid lines 39 and 40 tothe riser 48.

Extending down the center of the riser 48 and the well head 15 is arotatable string 50 of pipes 51 which have the right hand threads 52.The lower end of the lowermost pipe 51 of the string 50 is threaded intothe casing running tool 10, according to this invention. A short lengthof pipe 53 is threaded into the lower end of the casing running tool 10and has its lower end threaded into a releasable connecting apparatus54, as is more fully explained in my copending patent application Ser.No. 160,407 filed July 7, 1971 entitled Releasable Connecting ApparatusFor Subsea .Well

Head, filed concurrently herewith. The releasable connecting apparatus54 has releasably secured thereto a casing hanger 55 having acircumferential rib 56 providing a shoulder 57 for landing on thecup-shaped shoulder 24 of the guide post frame 20. The casing hanger 55also has a plurality of grooves 58 in the rib 56 for permitting fluid topass between the hanger 55 and the guide post frame 20. The casinghanger 55 supports a depending inner casing 59 therefrom, to extend downinto the well hole 11 for receiving concrete between the casing 59 andthe well hole 11 to fill the space therebetween. in order to insure thatthe concrete fills the space between the casing 59 and the well hole 11,it is desirable to rotate the casing 59 while the concrete is beingpoured into this space. In order to rotate the casing 59 without thecasing hanger 55 disconnecting from the releasable connecting apparatus54, the casing hanger 59 must be supported above its landing shoulder 24while being rotated. The casing running tool 10, according to thisinvention, axially locates the rotating string 50 relative the well head15 to space the casing hanger 55 above its landing shoulder 24 for suchrotation of the casing 59.

Generally, the casing running tool 10, according to this invention,includes outer and inner body portions 60 and 80 forming an annularchamber 95 with the inner body portion 80 being connected to the casing59 and with the outer body portion 60 landing on the wellhead 15 firstand second bearing rings 100 and 105 mounted to the inner and outer bodyportions 80 and 60 in spaced, fluid tight relation in the chamber 95,and pressure means 115 for providing pressure fluid into the chamber 95and between the bearing rings 100 and 105 to support the inner bodyportion 80 on the outer body portion 60 by the rings 100 and 105 and thenoncompressible, pressure fluid.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the outer body portion 60 of the casing runningtool 10, according to this invention, includes an upper part 61 and alower part 70. The upper part 61 is essentially tubular shaped and of adiameter to be slideably received in the upper section of the centralbore 45 of the hanger supporting tool 44. The upper part 61 has acentral bore 62 which is opened to the outer surface through two opposedupper passages 63 at the upper end thereof. Just below the upperpassages 63 is a circumferential dog receiving grooves 64 which issuitably shaped to receive latch dog 47 from the hanger supporting tool44 when aligned therewith and when the latch dog 47 is extended.Slightly below midway of the upper part 61 is a circumferential rib 65providing a lower landing shoulder 66 which will seat on the landingshoulder 46 of the hangar supporting tool 44, when the latch dogs 47 arereleased. The end of the upper part has a pair of opposed passages 67above a lower external notch 68 having external threads 69 for matingwith the lower part 70. The passages 63 and 67 permit liquid to flowpast the latch dog 47 when they engage the upper part by temporarilybeing routed into the central bore 62 thereof.

The lower part 70 has a central bore 71 which is internally threaded atthe upper end 72 for threadably connecting to upper part 61. The centralbore 71 of the lower part 70 is provided with a plurality of axiallyspace bearing grooves 73 for a purpose which will appear shortly.

The inner body portion of the casing running too] 10 has an upper part81 and a lower part 85. The upper part 81 is essentially tubular and hasan internally threaded upper end 82 for threading to the threads 53 ofthe lowermost pipe 52 of the string 51. The upper part 81 has an outersurface 83 which contains a plurality of bearing grooves 84.

The lower part 85 of the inner body portion 80 has an upper externalnotch 86 sized to mate with the lower bore 71 of the outer body portion60 and a central bore 87 siding over the outer surface 83 of the upperpart 81 to close the lower end of the space therebetween. The surfacesof the notch 86 and of the bore 87 have grooves 88 therein for seals 89,and the surface of the notch 86 has a bearing groove 90 opposite thelowermost bearing groove 73 of the outer body portion 60 for a purposewhich will appear later. The lower part 85 has a lower surface whichsits on the upper surface of a collar 91 secured to the upper part 81 bya snap face 83 of the inner body portion 80 and the bore 71 5 of theouter body portion 60 forming an elongated annular chamber 95 forreceiving therein first and second bearing rings 100 and 105.

The first bearing rings 100 of the tool are for mounting to the innerbody portion 85. As best seen in 10 FIG. 3, the first bearing rings 100are generally annular in shape and provided with pairs ofcircumferential -grooves 101 containing seals 102. The rings 100 arealso provided with inner-upper bearing grooves 103 which are forcooperation with the bearing grooves 84 in the inner body portion 80.

Likewise, the second bearing rings 105 of the tool 10 are for mountingthe outer body portion 60. The rings 105 are shaped generally the sameas the rings 100 and have pairs of circumferential grooves 106containing seals 107. The rings 105 are provided with outer bearinggrooves 108 which are for cooperating with the bearing grooves 73 in theouter body portion.

The rings I00 and 105 are located in the chamber 95 between the innerand outer body portions 80 and 60 by mounting means 110. The mountingmeans 110 for the first bearing rings 100 and the upper part 81 of theinner body portion 80 includes the provision of a snap ring 111 locatedin the space of the grooves 84 and 103 for each of the first bearingrings 100.

The mounting means 110 for the second bearing rings 105 and the lowerpart 70 of the outer body portion includes the provision ofa threadedaccess hole 112 in the lower part from the outer surface thereof to eachbearing groove 73. Each access hole 112 is normally closed by a plug113, but may be opened to permit the insertion of ball bearings 114 intothe space of the grooves 108 and 73. The ball bearings 114 and the snaprings lll mount the bearing rings 105 and 100 in the chamber in pairs,initially with a larger space between rings of a pair than the spacebetween pairs of rings. This larger space is for receiving a pressuretransmitting fluid.

Means, indicated generally at 115, are provided for introducing thepressure fluid into the chambers 95 of each pair of first and secondbearing rings and to support the inner body portion 80 on the outer bodyportion 60 by the rings 100 and 105 and the fluid. Such means in theexemplary embodiment includes the provision of horizontal passages, as116 in the lower part 70, for each set of rings 100, 105 which opensinto the associated chamber 95. The horizontal passages 116 are allconnected by a vertical feeder passage 117 in the lower part 70 to athreaded hole 118. A coupling 119 may be threaded into hole 118 toattach a hose 120 from a source of pressure fluid during the step offilling the chambers 95. Pressure fluid may be pumped down the hose 120and into the feeder passage 117 to be fed,

via passages 116, into the space between each pair of 60 tions 80 and60. Hose 120 may then be disconnected 65 and hole 118 plugged, as withhole 112. The seals 102 and 107 of the ring 100 and 105 maintain thepressurized fluid between the two rings of a pair.

In operation, the tool 10, according to this invention, is lowered downthe riser 48 with string 50 until the tool 10 is located in the hangersupporting tool 44 with dog receiving groove 64 aligned with the latchdog 47 whereupon the latch dog 47 is extended as shown in FIG. 2 to lockthe outer body portion 60 to the hanger supporting tool 49. The tool 10is now axially restrained in a position which locates the shoulder 57 ofthe inner casing hanger 55, also on the string 50, spaced above theinner shoulder 24 of the guidepost frame 20 for rotation of the innercasing 59 during the insertion of concrete between the inner casing 59and the wellhole 11.

Once the concrete has been evenly distributed, the rotation of thestring 50 is halted, and the string 50 is raised slightly to free thelatch dog 47 from the groove 64 for retraction. Once the dog 47 isretracted, the string 50 is lowered until the shoulder 57 of the casinghanger 55 lands upon the inner shoulder 24 of the guide post frame 20and the releasable connecting apparatus 54 contracts. In this position,the landing shoulder 66 of the outer body portion 60 should seat on thelanding shoulder 47 of the hanger supporting tool 44 to permit rotationof the string 50 to uncouple the releasable connecting apparatus 54 fromthe inner casing hanger 55. Once uncoupling has occurred, the string 50,including the tool 10, is raised up the riser 48 to open the riser 48for receiving other tools.

While the casing running tool 10, according to this invention, wasdescribed in conjunction with the operation of pouring concrete betweenan inner casing and a wellhole, the tool 10 may be used whenever a toolis needed in a subsea wellhead which may be axially restrained yet stillrotate.

I claim:

1. A casing running tool comprising:

inner and outer body portions forming an annular chamber therebetween,said inner body portion having means for connecting to the casing andsaid outer body portion having means for landing at the well; pluralityof sets of first and second bearing rings wherein the first and secondbearing rings of each of said sets are mounted to said inner and outerbody portions, respectively, in spaced fluid type relation in saidchamber; and

a non-compressible, pressure transmitting fluid in said chamber andbetween said bearing rings of each of said sets for supporting saidinner body portion on said outer body portion by said rings and fluid.

2. A casing running too] as in claim 1 wherein:

a plurality of individual pressure chambers are formed between rings ofeach of said plurality of sets with pressure fluids in each of saidchambers and means are provided for connecting said chambers to equalizethe pressure within said chambers.

3. A casing running tool as in claim 1 wherein:

said annular chamber is relatively long axially compared to itscross-sectional width.

4. A casing hanger running tool for suspending and rotating a casinghanger and associated casing in a subsea well during cementingoperations preparatory to landing the casing in the well, said runningtool comprising:

an inner body means for suspending the casing hanger;

an outer body means for landing in wellhead associated equipment;

a chamber formed between said inner and outer body means;

a plurality of first pressure bearing rings and means for mounting themabout and upwardly constrained on said inner body means in said chamberand in rotatable relation to said outer body means;

a plurality of second pressure bearing rings and means for mounting thesame about said inner 10 body means in said chamber downwardlyconstrained on said outer body means and rotatable relative to saidinner body member, each of said second rings being spaced from acorresponding one of said first rings to provide pressure chamberstherebetween;

fluid seal means about said rings for sealing said rings against fluidflow between said rings and said inner and outer body means; and

pressure transmitting fluid in each of said pressure chambers forsupporting said inner body means on said outer-body means via saidbearing rings and associated pressure fluid.

5. A casing hanger running tool as in claim 4 wherein said means formounting said plurality of second pressure bearing rings downwardlyconstrained on said outer body means comprises:

a ball race formed between each of said second rings and said outer bodymeans by opposed annular grooves provided in said outer body member andsaid second rings and a plurality of locking balls in said race. 6. Amethod of rotatably supporting a casing in a well comprising the stepsof:

connecting the lower end of a running tool inner body to a casing to berun into a well and the upper end thereof to a tubing string; connectingan associated outer body of the running tool to the inner body forrelative rotation therebetween; hydraulically supporting the inner bodyon the outer body; running the casing via the running tool into the welland landing the outer body of said tool on a wellhead apparatus; androtating the tubing string to rotate the associated casing while saidcasing is supported by said running tool at said well.

1. A casing running tool comprising: inner and outer body portionsforming an annular chamber therebetween, said inner body portion havingmeans for connecting to the casing and said outer body portion havingmeans for landing at the well; a plurality of sets of first and secondbearing rings wherein the first and second bearing rings of each of saidsets are mounted to said inner and outer body portions, respectively, inspaced fluid type relation in said chamber; and a non-compressible,pressure transmitting fluid in said chamber and between said bearingrings of each of said sets for supporting said inner body portion onsaid outer body portion by said rings and fluid.
 2. A casing runningtool as in claim 1 wherein: a plurality of individual pressure chambersare formed between rings of each of said plurality of sets with pressurefluids in each of said chambers and means are provided for connectingsaid chambers to equalize the pressure within said chambers.
 3. A casingrunning tool as in claim 1 wherein: said annular chamber is relativelylong axially compared to its cross-sectional width.
 4. A casing hangerrunning tool for suspending and rotating a casing hanger and associatedcasing in a subsea well during cementing operations preparatory tolanding the casing in the well, said running tool comprising: an innerbody means for suspending the casing hanger; an outer body means forlanding in wellhead associated equipment; a chamber formed between saidinner and outer body means; a plurality of first pressure bearing ringsand means for mounting them about and upwardly constrained on said innerbody means in said chamber and in rotatable relation to said outer bodymeans; a plurality of second pressure bearing rings and means formounting the same about said inner body means in said chamber downwardlyconstrained on said outer body means and rotatable relative to saidinner body member, each of said second rings being spaced from acorresponding one of said first rings to provide pressure chamberstherebetween; fluid seal means about said rings for sealing said ringsagainst fluid flow between said rings and said inner and outer bodymeans; and pressure transmitting fluid in each of said pressure chambersfor supporting said inner body means on said outer body means via saidbearing rings and associated pressure fluid.
 5. A casing hanger runningtool as in claim 4 wherein said means for mounting said plurality ofsecond pressure bearing rings downwardly constrained on said outer bodymeans comprises: a ball race formed between each of said second ringsand said outer body means by opposed annular grooves provided in saidouter body member and said second rings and a plurality of locking ballsin said race.
 6. A method of rotatably supporting a casing in a wellcomprising the steps of: connecting the lower end of a running toolinner body to a casing to be run into a well and the upper end thereofto a tubing string; connecting an associated outer body of the runningtool to the inner body for relative rotation therebetween; hydraulicallysupporting the inner body on the outer body; running the casing via therunning tool into the well and landing the outer body of said tool on awellhead apparatus; and rotating the tubing string to rotate theassociated casing while said casing is supported by said running tool atsaid well.